The combination of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad is a fabulous one for England. The way they complement each other is quite superb and they will go down as one of the great fast bowling partnerships.

Clearly they have learnt from Lord’s in the second Test where their bowling was a bit short. On Thursday, as at Southampton, they pitched the ball up and allowed it to swing but provided different challenges for the Indian batsmen.

It might sound obvious but if they were similar bowlers they would not be as successful as a duo. As a captain you want variety and these two are like gold dust for Alastair Cook.

Blistering attack: Stuart Broad was in sublime form at Old Trafford on day one of the fourth Investec Test

Sultans of swing: Jimmy Anderson and Broad wreaked havoc on India's batting order at Old Trafford

When the conditions suit and it is swinging you go to Anderson and when you need something to happen and have to think outside the box — maybe when the ball has stopped swinging — you go to Broad. If the game drifts or you need a magical spell, Broad is the man.

He’s a very clever cricketer, as he showed yesterday by the way he used the short ball to push batsmen back before then getting them out to the fuller delivery.

Anderson is the fitter bowler and can bowl longer spells and I think it’s best to use Broad in short, sharp spells, certainly with the way his body is at the moment. They can be stubborn with their fields but they know their game.

You have to manage the pair and keep an eye on them. You need to make them think that any change of field is their idea but you have to be strong with them. You don’t have to talk them through what you are doing.

Top of his game: Anderson appeals to the umpire as MS Dhoni gets a quick single in India's first innings

Anderson might have been trying to bowl too quickly at the start of this season. After what happened in Australia people were saying he might have lost his nip and he came back fitter and might have stretched a bit too much for pace.

But the biggest difference since Lord’s, when England did not take full advantage of perfect bowling conditions on the first day, is that the ball has consistently swung both here at Old Trafford and at the Ageas Bowl.

When it swings there is no-one better in the world than Anderson. You could say Dale Steyn is in the same category but I would always go with Jimmy because of the way he goes from inswing to outswing so effortlessly.

Morale: England were in a jubilant mood as they tore through India's side, with the tourist finishing on 152

The old-fashioned way would be to bowl five outswingers and then an inswinger — as Bhuvneshwar Kumar did to bowl Sam Robson on Thursday — but Anderson can go from one to the other at will.

The four deliveries he bowled at Ravindra Jadeja here are about as good as it gets. It must have been an absolute nightmare to face. It is a skill he has and he does it with aggression.

One thing I will say: these two really need looking after. We have highlighted in Sportsmail this week how much cricket England will play in the next 18 months and Cook will have to resist the temptation to over bowl them because the step down to the supporting cast is a big one at the moment.

Time to step up: Chris Jordan, left, and Chris Woakes need to improve to take pressure off Broad and Anderson

A lot of people felt Steven Finn should have played here but there is no guarantee he would have bowled well and I am pleased England stuck with Chris Jordan. Batsmen seem to get chance after chance but as soon as a bowler puts in one indifferent performance there are calls to bring in someone else.

Give Jordan a full go — and Robson — and then decide at the end of the series if there is a need for change. We have to remember that Jordan and Chris Woakes are not yet the finished article — Anderson and Broad most certainly are.